Monday, 30 December 2013

"A portrait of my husband and our marriage, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Richard: Thank you for your patience and support in letting me take your portrait each week this year. It's been such a gift. Through the ups and downs, during the lulls and the chaos. Each week I've managed to come back to centre through taking your portrait. In our marriage, in your blue eyes, in your arms, I find peace and true happiness.

Us: At the end of the day, in love and in this together.Participating in the 52 Portraits series led by Jodi at Che & Fidel. You can view all 52 portraits of 2013 by clicking on the 52 Portrait Series button in the sidebar.In case you're wondering why I chose to participate in this project taking photos of my husband in the first place, you can read about it here. More reflections at week 42, here. It's been so rewarding to look back through all 52 weeks. I'm really proud to have stuck with it. I'll be taking part in 2014 with another spin on the weekly portraits, I'm looking forward to a new challenge.

Saturday, 21 December 2013

"A portrait of my husband and our marriage, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Richard: In his natural habitat. The one portrait I've been meaning to shoot all year and left till the last minute.

Us: All time favourite bedtime stories. Like that time Jo was flipped upside-down in Topsy Turvy Land and had to go with Moonface and Silky to The Land of Spells to be turned the right way round again. Do you remember that one?!!Participating in the 52 Portraits series led by Jodi at Che & Fidel. You can view all of my weekly portraits by clicking on the button in the sidebar.

Sunday, 15 December 2013

"A portrait of my husband and our marriage, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Richard: Embracing the Christmas traditions of his in-laws, with gusto. This is The Chicken Dance, now with added maracas.

Us: Fresh juice and coffee's before heading to the beach. Exhale.Participating in the 52 Portraits series led by Jodi at Che & Fidel. You can view all of my weekly portraits by clicking on the button in the sidebar.

Saturday, 14 December 2013

I was on the brink of adulthood in 1994 when South Africa held their first ever open polls. I clung to all of the news reports with such anticipation. I watched anxiously as a nation voted for their collective freedom. I kept newspaper clippings and saved them in a scrapbook, highlighting paragraphs and quotes that spoke to me with red pen.

Hope is so incredibly powerful. I feel blessed to have been a witness to such an event. Looking back I can see that it was a pivotal time in my life. Watching Nelson Mandela lead his country to freedom and carry on to change the world taught me just what could be achieved with grace, strength, courage.Sharing this lifetime with Nelson Mandela influenced my life a great deal. I'll honor his memory by trying to live mindfully by his example. A truly human being, he showed us what our best could be. Rest in peace.Belinda x

Sunday, 8 December 2013

"A portrait of my husband and our marriage, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Richard: Choosing a real tree at the farm is fast becoming one of our favourite Christmas traditions.

We: are right in the thick of festive season chaos at the moment. Work deadlines are intense and the list of things to do in preparation for Christmas is overwhelming. Thankful for quiet nights by candle and Christmas tree lights.Participating in the 52 Portraits series led by Jodi at Che & Fidel. You can view all of my weekly portraits by clicking on the button in the sidebar.

Monday, 2 December 2013

It's been almost three months since I visited and Istanbul continues to frequent my daydreams.

Istanbul feels like the capital city of the world. Which isn't entirely surprising given it's history. First, it was the centre of the world according to the Greeks. Byzantium was renamed Constantinopolis when it became part of the Roman empire. Later, the Ottoman's recognised her as Kostantiniyye.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived and I've honestly never experienced anything like it.

Firstly, it's huge. The commanding Bosphorus strait separates the European and Asian continents, and the city of Istanbul unites the two.

It is a city that is both incredibly ancient and modern all at once. Her unique pulse and identity is the sum of her cultural influences and history. You'll find a Catholic church and a Mosque on the same block. They stand together, above an underground city of archaic tunnels, cisterns, viaducts built by empires past. I stood in a tower of an ottoman castle on the banks of the Bosphorus (photo #15 above) . The stones beneath my feet placed there by hand in 1452. Nearby, the massive Fatih Sultan Mehmet suspension bridge, a trans-continental highway spans the Bosphorus.Seeing the city from a sunset cruise on the Bosphorus allows you get a sense of the scale of Istanbul, and the diversity in her landscape. Hundreds of minarets shape the skyline. The shoreline plays host to castles, palaces, universities, museums and mansions.Each day, the Ezan can be heard from tens of thousands of mosques throughout the city. No matter where you are, the call can be heard, often from multiple directions. One day I found myself atop a lookout on the Asian side, high above the city during a call to prayer. The sound of the Ezan was everywhere. Near and far. It was floating up from the city below and across the water from the European side. It was incredibly beautiful.Another memorable highlight for me was going to a traditional Turkish bath house. We went to Çemberlitas which was built in 1584 (photos 13, 14 above). I've been known to frequent a day spa or two in my time, but think the Turks have mastered this down to an art form. It was the ultimate experience in pampering and relaxation. An hour or so of steaming, scrubbing and soaking followed by THE most sublime massage. The attendants were kind and nurturing and I felt calm and uplifted walking out of there. It was a reminder too, that balance can be found in ritual and tradition. If we had Turkish baths here in Sydney, I would go every other week!Istanbul is well known for shopping. Unfortunately I didn't have alot of time so I skipped all the modern attractions to experience the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar. They are vast rabbit warrens, you could easily and literally lose yourself here. I bought some lovely homemade Turkish Delight for Richard, some souvenirs for the Little One but mainly wandered around taking it all in. I had been forewarned about the 'hard sell' in these markets and we did find ourselves sat on the floor of a carpet store at one point. The captive audience of a charming man who called himself the Turkish George Clooney. He laid out beautiful kilim rugs and hand embroidered textiles talking us through their history and traditional techniques. We didn't buy anything, though I was tempted! He was gracious and grateful and sent us on our way with a smile.I was utterly taken with Istanbul. I look forward to the day I return. Belinda x